Course Director
“If one advances confidently in the direction of one’s dreams, and endeavors to live the life which one has imagined, one will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
~Henry David Thoreau~
While I’m not too good at setting goals, I am pretty good at moving forward. That really is our only option, isn’t it? I also have a decent imagination, and I count myself lucky to be part of a great group of dreamers in iTDi. Our shared dream is a big one: Making excellent professional development affordable and accessible for every teacher in the world.
We imagine a world where teachers without a lot of money can have access to the same quality teacher training that more affluent teachers enjoy. A world where teachers don’t have to be fluent in English in order to enjoy professional development, in English. A world where teachers in even the most remote corners of the world can join a safe, nurturing international community filled with teachers helping each other to become better teachers.
It’s a big dream, and there are plenty of obstacles on the from from where we are now and where we want to be, but we are blessed with an absolutely amazing network of teachers around the world who also believe that all teachers deserve respect and a chance to become better, regardless of teaching context, language ability, or prior training.
So, what will I be doing to move forward this year?
Writing a new course
iTDi is ready to add a new course to its roster of online offerings. So far, we have Teacher Development, for teachers who want to improve their classroom skills; and English for Teachers, for teachers who want to improve their English skills while talking about teaching. Our new course will be for teachers working with young learners. The course is still very early in development, but it’s exciting to see it come together. My co-authors, Catherine Littlehale Oki and Lesley Koustaff, are experienced YL teachers, teacher trainers, and writers. Eric Kane, our production manager, is the wizard behind ELF Learning. And bringing invaluable experience and authenticity to the lessons is a team of Associates spanning the globe:
Bruno Andrade, Brazil
Andy Boon, Japan
Marco Brazil, The Philippines (and Japan)
Vladimira Chalyova, Slovakia
Naomi Epstein, Israel
Fitri, Indonesia
Esra Girgin, Turkey
Marcia Lima, Brazil
Martha Mendoza, Peru
Anna Musielak, Poland
Cherry Philipose, India
Anna Pires, Portugal
Yitzha Sarwono, Indonesia
Malu Sciamarelli, Brazil
Ayat Tawel, Egypt
Juan Uribe, Canada (and Brazil)
Jennifer Verschool, Argentina
Chiyuki Yanase, Japan
Some of our TEYL Associates are veterans of the English for Teachers course, and some are new, but all are committed to making iTDi TEYL as practical as possible for teachers of young learners. You can read about all of our incredible Associates on our Community Page.
Working with Teachers
At the beginning of February, I’ll be back in Indonesia for several events. First, I’ll be at the LIA Semarang Candi International English Workshop with fellow iTDi colleagues Chuck Sandy, Eric Kane, Yitzha Sarwono, and Nina Septima. Then Chuck, Eric, Yitzha and I will join VIE Foundation, our Partners in Indonesia, for the Global Teacher Development Workshop road show in Bandung and Jakarta. The goal is to get teachers excited about the possibilities of collaborating and sharing with other teachers online, and to introduce professional development opportunities with iTDi.
Working Online
As much as I love to travel, I think this year will find me traveling a bit less, and doing more workshops online. Whether it’s facilitating webinars like the current series on Easy Web Tools for Teachers, presenting my own workshops like the upcoming Bringing Technology to your Young Learner Classroom, or participating in facebook chats being online gives me a chance to work with teachers from many countries at the same time.
While I have absolutely no idea where the end of 2013 will find me, I am confident that I’m heading in the direction that’s right for me. I will continue to dream and imagine, and feel lucky that I can share my journey forward with an amazing and ever-growing community of teachers around the world.
im intereted in joining itdi. Can you tell me where is the place that you and your teachers’ friends will share about the itdi? there is any possibilities if i join in your sharing session so i will get more knowledge from others.
Hi Dwi,
To join iTDi please register on http://www.iTDi.pro
Can not wait to see you there!
Esther
I am currently living in Hua Hin, Thailand and just saw this article posted on the Thailand Educator’s Network’s Facebook feed. I would love to learn more about how I can be an effective teacher here in Thailand, whether that entails a paradigm shift in my teaching pedagogy, or simple tips on how to make my classroom more efficient and fun! Though I love my job, I have not found it a supportive network to aide in my advancement as a teacher. I would love to contact others who have similar goals and sage advice!
In the beginning of this year I met some teachers who taught me lots of new things. Barbara, Chuck, Eric, Yitzha, Adi, Karl and other teachers from iTDi are great teachers who have opened my old box, slowly but sure I step my feet out of the comfort zone and be brave to take a risk.My participation in iTDi workshop in Jakarta made me feel not alone anymore.
My goal in 2013 is learning more lessons in iTDi so that I can be a better teacher for my students,my fellow teachers and myself.
Thank you so much iTDi. ( Ika Chieka )
Dear Barbara, your words are very moving. I was thrilled by your wish to offer help to less affluent, less fluent teachers and also to those ones in remote places with no easy access to the centers of knowledge. I really admire you and your partners.
I am currently following you on iTDi. I’ll surely spread the word to my colleagues.
Keep on with the good work and thank you so much for the chance you are giving us.
Kefou Fani
My professional goasl are to became a better teacher, be able to make a difference, be able to help other teachers, participate whenever possible, share my experience with others and learn a lot.
It is amazing, incredible and huge the effort and work that all of you at iTDi are making to get all this knowledge –and amazing teachers–, accesible to all of us.
I would like to say that I have a goal as big and interesting like yours..wow a complete course for TEYL!… I will be sure to let know my fellow teachers in the primary school about it!
My challenge is to teach high intermediate and advanced levels of English at my school, since I have been teaching Beginner level for the last 8 years. It is a challenge to always find new ways to approach my students, and I am thankful that there are very valuable people in the English team, with whom is easy to talk and to exchange ideas, and to grow together as teachers.
I wish that someday I will be able to be like you, Chrysa, Chuck, Jase… or any of the rest of the speakers…to be able to share what I have learned and what I do as a language teacher.
Thank you for standing up and holding on to your dreams for iTDi.
Queralt Comellas
Well dear Barbara, I like your dreams and I like your goals. They are identical to the goals of millions of teachers around the world. What impresses me most is your readiness and enthousiasm to share them with the rest of us.
Yes, I’d like to join you along your inspiring path and share what we know and what we’ve learned and experienced on our journey with the rest of our colleagues.
Barbara that dream is already becoming a reality. Good things never die, they last forever. Wonderful job you are doing here. Thanks.
Dear Barbara,
I had the chance of meeting you through EVO sessions and after a while in another webinar you taught me how to work with Animoto, among other things.
I found this iTDi group by “chance” (I use inverted commas because I believe in causalities and not casualities) through FB and I’m delighted since the first class a week ago.
Loved your dreams and your goals and through this amazing iniciative all of us can be closer to excellence.
Thank you and all iTDi team
Thank you, Barbara, for such an inspirational speech.
Though there are a lot of people who will find it pathetic, I must say that everything mentioned is true. A teacher must be always moving forward to reach goals. It refers not obly to teachers or educators but to everybody.
My personal goal right now is to try myself in teaching abroad. There are not only professional but also personal reasons for doing that.
I hope that soon my dream will some true.